Saga of the Bridgers-Year 3

Chapter 3: The holocrons of fate

Ezra immediately snarled at the Zabrak.

"Maul! What have you done to her?!"

"Oh, you are misreading the situation, Apprentice. I didn't do anything to her...yet. In fact, she was the one who came to me. With a gift..."

Maul took out the Sith holocron with his left hand, which terrified Ezra.

"Alas, I'm afraid her offer of peace wasn't enough." the Zabrak added with a mischievous grin.

Ezra clenched his fists. Rage was the only thing that was brewing in his heart.

However, a calm touch came to his shoulder. He turned around to see Kanan, who seemed to be focusing on the hologram. His master gently pushed him aside, taking the lead in the conversation. Ezra was grabbed by Jordan who, with a serious gaze, was basically telling him to let Kanan talk. Sabine approached him from the side and put her hands around one of his fists, which Ezra soon undid and let her sooth his pain.

"What else do you want, Maul?" Kanan said.

"Ah, Master Jedi. I'm going to request your Jedi holocron as well. Plus, our Apprentice and I will have to do something with them."

"All right. Ezra will bring you the holocron." Kanan calmly said.

"Kanan, no!" Jaral pleaded.

In response, Maul moved his right hand in front of the woman's head. Kanan knew that gesture very well, as the Grand Inquisitor had used it on him years ago. Maul was hurting Jaral's mind directly.

Everyone around the table could see her suddenly assuming a strained face. Ezra, who had started to reopen their bond after the last mission, could still feel the immense pain that the old Sith was inflicting on her.

But despite that, Jaral held her own. Her face might express pain, but she didn't let a single groan escape her mouth.

Still, Ezra's eyes were almost bloodshot as he watched Maul torture his sister. It all reminded him of the day when the Empire came to arrest his parents. The fear, but most of all the anger for not being able to stop it.

"Fine," Kanan said calmly. "we'll give it to you, as long as you keep Jaral unharmed."

Finally, Maul released the mental grip on the young woman, who slumped a bit exhausted.

"I'll be in touch to send you the coordinates. You and our Apprentice will come on your own, Master Jedi. If you try anything...funny, the girl dies." to prove his point, an RIC-1200 tour guide droid, repurposed to use a blaster, rolled behind Jaral and pointed its gun at her back.

Then the transmission closed.

Ezra slammed his hands on the table.

"Damn it. How did this happen?"

"You heard him..." Darvos hissed, his face wracked with guilt as well, for letting the woman he loved actually go on her own. "she went on her own volition."

"But why?! And how did Maul knew where to find her?" Ezra exclaimed.

"It's not like that." Mira suddenly intervened.

Everyone looked at her. Her face was desperate, yet she was keeping it together enough to speak clearly.

"Jaral knew that Maul was looking for you. Since you came back from Malachor she has worked to keep an eye on him."

Jordan was confused. Malachor? Maul? He still didn't know what happened in the few months he was away.

Ezra was suddenly caught by a revelation that rocked his very soul.